Monday 8 June 1663
Up and to my office a while, and thence by coach with Sir J. Minnes to St. James’s to the Duke, where Mr. Coventry and us two did discourse with the Duke a little about our office business, which saved our coming in the afternoon, and so to rights home again and to dinner. After dinner my wife and I had a little jangling, in which she did give me the lie, which vexed me, so that finding my talking did but make her worse, and that her spirit is lately come to be other than it used to be, and now depends upon her having Ashwell by her, before whom she thinks I shall not say nor do anything of force to her, which vexes me and makes me wish that I had better considered all that I have of late done concerning my bringing my wife to this condition of heat, I went up vexed to my chamber and there fell examining my new concordance, that I have bought, with Newman’s, the best that ever was out before, and I find mine altogether as copious as that and something larger, though the order in some respects not so good, that a man may think a place is missing, when it is only put in another place.
Up by and by my wife comes and good friends again, and to walk in the garden and so anon to supper and to bed. My cozen John Angier the son, of Cambridge coming to me late to see me, and I find his business is that he would be sent to sea, but I dissuaded him from it, for I will not have to do with it without his friends’ consent.
26 Annotations
First Reading
TerryF • Link
Which Bible Concordance did SP buy three days ago?
Was it the "new" one or was it Newman's, as L&M suggest.
The "new" one must be copious indeed, since, as Michael Robinson reported, Newman's “second Impression” appeared to run to 1368 pp. http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Australian Susan • Link
"which vexes me"
Poor Sam! It works - he obviously does *not* wish to say certain things in front of Ashwell and yet is very concerned about whatever he and Elizabeth are "jangling"(lovely onamatopaeic word) about. He uses "vex" in various forms - much tension here. Yet, how sensible - just takes himself off and is soon soothed by becoming immersed in his new purchase. Bibliotherapy.
Glyn • Link
So Elizabeth is giving him the lie, i.e. calling him a liar, and doing it in front of Ashwell. I wonder what it was about.
Clement • Link
"...for I will not have to do with it without his friends’ consent."
Who are they and why?
Elizabeth sees herself as her husband's equal, and is spirited enough to engage him when she thinks he's off-base, and frustrated enough with her life to complain about it. I think Sam appreciates her spirit, even as he complains, and he needs to be challenged by his partner. It's a pity he can't consistently find a way to help her to become engaged in some sustained, rewarding pursuit.
I'm reading her as being a bit adrift and not happy except when she is temporarily distracted from boredom by an exciting event or new shiny thing. It's amazing to me that Sam lets all that through in his journal.
TerryF • Link
Elizabeth "now depends upon her having Ashwell by her"
No wonder Samuel is vexed: now using Ashwell as a shield, six days ago, temperamental Elizabeth, who seems not to get on with the help, complained that Ashwell stole "some new ribbon from her, a yard or two, which I am sorry to hear, and I fear my wife do take a displeasure against her, that they will hardly stay together, which I should be sorry for, because I know not where to pick such another out anywhere." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… , and three days ago, last Friday, he was "a little troubled to see my wife take no more pleasure with Ashwell, but neglect her and leave her at home." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
TerryF • Link
Elizabeth adrift, indeed - bespeaking lifelong instability.
As Jeannine has amply documented. Yes, methinks she is "adrift" - nice word, Clement, perhaps better than my "temperamental" (Madame Bovary, anyone?).
dirk • Link
"My Lord" Sandwich's sons in France
From a letter from their tutoe (De Jacquières) to Sandwich,
dated Paris, 18 June 1663 [8 June British calendar]:
"Mr Ferrers, Lord Sandwich's equerry, will acquaint him with the course of studies, the pursuits, and the sentiments of his Lordship's sons. He has seen much of them, and is well informed of their desires. They wish, it seems, to leave the academy and to become outdoor pupils ["externes"] of a certain M. La Vallée of Caen ["Can"] with whom they are to learn horsemanship. The real desire being to be more at liberty, for their pleasures ["avoir leur coudées franches"]."
From another letter written around the same time (also June, but not dated) by De Jacquières to Sandwich:
"Gives further account of the studies progress and health of the Earl's sons Hinchinbroke & Sydney.
Adds, by desire of Mr Ferrers [equerry to Lord Sandwich], an account of expenditure on account of these pupils:
Lessons and board amount, by the year, to 3,452 livres; Latin tutor, additional, 240 livres; music master, 12 louis; the writer's fee is 600 livres. The aggregate of these items will scarcely leave a sufficient margin for cost of fire, lights, and incidentals; if the total charge be absolutely restricted to 6000 livres, a year, as mentioned by Ferrers."
Source:
The Carte papers, Bodleian Library
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/s…
--- The education of his sons is apparently costing Sandwich a lot of money...
Stolzi • Link
Clement asks, about Pepys'
' “…for I will not have to do with it without his friends’ consent.”
'Who are they and why?'
I take this to mean older people who take an interest in the boy and his future, but are not relatives. Having "friends" to advise you and help you on in life was very important. As we speak today of "mentoring."
ignotus • Link
Please forgive my spelling, it be mangled, could not find instantaneously "onamatopaeic"[sic] S/B "onomatopoeia" spell check gave me hell, so for those like me, that need a little help, ME janglen OFr jangler to prattle on [Franco to jeer?] like me who may get on some nerves.
ignotus • Link
for jingle jangle OED.
[In ME. a. AF. and OF. jangle n. from jangler; in later use immediately from the Eng. vb.]
1. Idle talk, chatter, jabber; an idle word. Obs.
1340-70 Alex. & Dind. 462 But swiche wordus of wise we wilnen to lere,
576 And he answerde, do manye goode werkes, and spek fewe Iangles.
2. Contention, altercation, bickering.
1641 MILTON Ch. Govt. I. ii, Then in such a cleere text as this may we know too without further jangle.
1672 MARVELL Reh. Transp. I. 302 Having made the whole business of State their Arminian jangles
later 1795 3. Discordant sound, ring, or clang.
later 1839 4. Confused and noisy talk; the mingled din of voices. (A kind of blending of senses 1 and 3.)
V intr. 1. To talk excessively or noisily; to chatter, babble, prate; said also of birds. Often applied contemptuously to ordinary speaking. Obs.
1604 T. WRIGHT Passions I. x. 41 In halfe an houre five men will bee wearie with conference..but three women will iangle, and never lacke new subiects to discourse vpon.
1642 ROGERS Naaman 489 To prate and jangle, play and be merry, and tell tales
5. To cause (a bell, etc.) to give forth a harsh discordant sound; to cause to ring, jingle, or clang inharmoniously.
1604 SHAKES. Ham. (2nd Qo.) III. i. 166 Like sweet bells iangled out of time, and harsh.
1641 J. JACKSON True Evang. T. III. 189 They jangle all out of tune the sweet Bels of reason and judgement.
TerryF • Link
ignotus = 'overlooked' ? Scarecely!
Australian Susan • Link
"may get on some nerves" Never! Sorry about erratic spelling.
Michael Robinson • Link
"New Concordance"
The only original concordance I can find quickly that is of a date of first English printing later than Newman (and prior to the date of the entry) is the following:-
a Ἡ της Καινης Διαθηκης συμφωνια; or, an Alphabetical concordance of all the Greek words contained in the New Testament. Shewing the severall texts wherein each word is mentioned ... By ... Andrew Symson.For I. Clark, etc.: London, 1658.
Fo., 266 pp.
The only other possible candidates would be Clement Cotton,1635 & after, and the various expansions and digests of Cotton prepared by John Downam after Cotton's death. I don't think Pepys would describe these as "new," certainly not in comparison to Newman -- unless a copy of Cotton was new to him which seems unlikely since it was, though Calvinist, the Anglican standard of the time and the basis for Newman's own work. Could Pepy's perhaps be comparing two editions of Newman (possibilities 1643, 1650, 1658)- the "new" one being the Cambridge edition of 1662?
Erna D'haenen • Link
John Angier's "friends"
In Richardson's "Clarissa", 1748, friends means friends ànd relatives, including such close ones as parents and siblings.
Andrew Hamilton • Link
and his spurs went jingle jangle jingle
Aus. Su, loved your reading
Sam is being prudently cautious w/ young Angier. He doesn't overlook many things.
Ignotus is(almost) an anagram for gnostic.
Michael Robinson • Link
"New Concordance"
The title to the first three editions, or "impressions," of Newman reads as follows:-
A Large and Complete Concordance to the Bible in English, according to the last Translation. First collected by Clement Cotton, and now much enlarged and amended ... by Samuel Newman, etc.
For Thomas Downes & James Young: London, 1643.
The Cambridge edition incorporated much substantial additional work by Newman [described and celebrated by Cotton Mather in Magnalia Christi Americana, 1702, who includes the anecdote of Newman, too poor to afford candles, working by the light of pine knots] is as follows:-
A Concordance to the Holy Scriptures ... In a more exact and useful method than hath hitherto been extant. By S. N. [i.e. Samuel Newman.] Cambridge: John Field, 1662.
I think this might explain more clearly why Pepys would refer to the London editions as "Newman" and the first Cambridge edition as "new."
Michael Robinson • Link
PS -- correction
For "would refer ..." in second to last line above read "might refer ..."
TerryF • Link
Thank you, Michael Robinson, peritus on 17c books, for details on the Newman(s) and other concordances. I agree, Pepys might well have regarded the Cambridge edition as the "new" and superior one - even with the difficulties he cites, the Cambridge connection *might* also count for something imponderable (unweighed) as well.
TerryF • Link
PS - correction (me too)
"unweighed" should be "unweighable."
Bradford • Link
The vexation seems to stem less from having lied (and betrayed one's better self) than having been found out---and so you deflect the blame back upon the person who has had the bad taste to call you on it in front of a witness.
True, Elizabeth is not considering the long-range consequences of such maneuvers, but neither is Samuel. Nonetheless, this sort of high-level interpersonal physics requires a certain fixity of purpose that doesn't seem like drifting to me. And once again, the young people make up as soon as they spat so as not to forego what pleasure in each other's company that they can grab.
TerryF • Link
Spat, make up, spat, etc. and Samuel off and away -
How wearing for Elizabeth, no? Where is *she* in the meantime?
Robert Gertz • Link
"Up by and by my wife comes and good friends again..."
One could take a cynical view and claim Bess purchases peace for peace's sake but I'm inclined to think she and Sam are simply two ordinary, volatile (perhaps more than some) human beings each with their own rhythm who frequently mesh beautifully and frequently get out of synch but fundamently care a great deal for each other and enjoy each other, despite each's flaws.
in Aqua scripto • Link
"Mr. Samuell [*** ***** *******], here be some tasty morsel,[ crum of crow, not the singing black bird]"--"...Up by and by my wife comes and good friends again, and to walk in the garden and so anon to supper and to bed...."
margaret human • Link
Jane Austen uses "friends" to include well disposed relations.
Second Reading
Bill • Link
“After dinner my wife and I had a little jangling, in which she did give me the lie
To JANGLE, to differ or be at Variance, to contend in Words.
---An universal etymological English dictionary. N. Bailey, 1724.
Chris Squire UK • Link
OED has:
‘friend, n. and adj. < Germanic . . ‘Relative’ is the only sense of the word in the Scandinavian languages . .
. . 3. A close relation, a kinsman or kinswoman. In later use regional (chiefly Sc. and Irish English (north.)) . .
. . a1616 Shakespeare Two Gentlemen of Verona (1623) iii. i. 106 She..is promis'd by her friends Vnto a youthfull Gentleman of worth.
1672 R. Wiseman Treat. Wounds i. x. 130 The Child returned to her friends perfectly in health.
1721 J. Kelly Compl. Coll. Scotish Prov. 103 Friends agree best at a distance. By Friends here is meant Relations . . ‘